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California State Senate rejects GMO labeling again

Is it a surprise to anyone that this bill failed, when you have the likes of Monsanto and Dow Chemical buying the votes of politicians for sometimes as little as just a steak dinner? It is completely outrageous that Californians are not able to know whether or not food contains GMOs by looking at a label on the product. But of course, anyone who knows anything about the prevalence of GMOs in our food supply is aware that GMOs are found in 95% or more of everything that we consume. Why then are organizations and companies fighting so hard to not label GMOs? What harm could come from consumers simply knowing what we are consuming? And, what should we do about it?

It starts with education

What groups opposed this bill? Let’s look at the list below.

Agricultural Council of California

BAYBIO – Organization that supports the use of GMOs and their development

California Chamber of Commerce –Works on behalf of industrial farms and companies involved in the production and distribution of GMOs, etc.

California Citrus Mutual – Trade group

California Cotton Ginners Association- Trade group

California Cotton Growers Association- Trade group

California Farm Bureau Federation- Trade group

California Grain and Feed Association- Trade group

California Grocers Association- Trade group

California Healthcare Institute- Trade group

California League of Food Processors- Trade group

California Manufacturers and Technology Association- Trade group

California Retailers Association- Trade group

California Seed Association- Trade group

California Women for Agriculture- Trade group

Family Winemakers of California- Trade group

Grocery Manufacturers Association- Trade group

International Formula Council- Trade group

Pacific Egg and Poultry Association- Trade group

Western Agricultural Processors Association- Trade group

Western Growers- Trade group

Western Plant Health Association- Trade group

It is clear why these organizations opposed bill SB1381. They represent industrial farming outfits that would face increased costs by having to label their products. When proponents of GMO’s speak about farmers, they never use the term industrial farms because that would denote large corporations (bad image). Instead they want you think that mom and pop farmers are against labeling, something that is not necessarily true at all.

Big agriculture/biotech (pleasantly named “life sciences companies”)are interested in keeping costs low in order to maximize profits in the short term by using genetically modified seeds from the likes of Monsanto. However, in the long run this will prove costly as bugs mutate and become resistant to things like “Roundup”. However, the companies reason that as this happens they will just keep adding to modifying the process and further distorting once healthy seeds. Who loses? We, the consumers do.

Continue to support the sponsors of SB1381

San Francisco City Hall

It is clear that the groups who oppose GMO labeling and their corporate sponsors will continue to pour money into defeating labeling in the future out of pure self interest – They want to keep the gravy train going for as long as they can. However, we as consumers have to take a stand and call for clear GMO labeling on everything we consume. If politicians are unable to help us, then we need to vote them out and fast. This is only going to the worse and we cannot afford to remain complacent.

We have to support the politicians who sponsored this bill as they continue to try and get this done. The sad thing is that the bill received 19 yes votes. Had it only received 2 more votes, it would have passed.

Even this vote was according to party lines. All “Yes” votes came from Democrats while the majority of “No” votes came from Republicans (75%). Why is it that the “so called” party of liberty and freedom chooses to side with censorship when it comes to something like this? Could it because they are in the pockets of the companies who manufacture/distribute GMOs?

We need to shame those politicians, Democrat and Republican, who voted against this bill or who did not vote at all, and work to get them out of office. Interestingly, and according to plan, all Republicans voted against this bill.

Voted NO:

Sen. Joel Anderson (R)

Sen. Marty Block (D)

Sen. Anthony Cannella (R)

Sen. Jean Fuller (R)

Sen. Ted Gaines (R)

Sen. Cathleen Galgiani (D)

Sen. Ed Hernandez (D)

Sen. Jerry Hill (D)

Sen. Bob Huff (R)

Sen. Steve Knight (R)

Sen. Mike Morrell (R)

Sen. Jim Nielsen (R)

Sen. Tom Berryhill (R)

Sen. Andy Vidak (R)

Sen. Mimi Walters (R)

Sen. Mark Wyland (R)

Did not vote at all:

Sen. Ron Calderon (D)

Sen. Lou Correa (D)

Sen. Richard Roth (D)

Sen. Roderick Wright (D)

We are conducting a giant experiment on ourselves by using GMOs and there is no concrete science that proves GMOs to be safe. As a matter of fact, many countries have outright bans on GMOs because of serious health issues that some studies have uncovered. At the very least, we should have the right to choose whether or not to buy foods that contain GMOs.

Contact your congressman or senator and tell them you will not vote for them unless they support GMO labeling.